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College Hockey Expansion


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9 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

I like the part where it says they are committed to "wide open , fast paced style of play"...haven't seen too many of their games recently but weren't the Purple Cows the kings of the Clutch'n'Grab?

Not really, but certainly not since hastings has taken over. 

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10 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

I like the part where it says they are committed to "wide open , fast paced style of play"...haven't seen too many of their games recently but weren't the Purple Cows the kings of the Clutch'n'Grab?

I saw several MSU Mankato games last year.    They have definitely changed since the Jutting years.   Higher tempo, faster defensemen.    They haven't gotten first-round draft choices, but there is a lot more talent than in previous years.    Their incoming class is on par with the NCHC rookies.

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6 hours ago, dmksioux said:

Lots of UND and North Dakota Alum living in Arizona, especially during the winters.  I think UND would have another "home game" if ASU gets in the NCHC.  I would love to make that trip during the winters!

Yes, I realize that... as in the 'zona' part of my moniker

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54 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

i don't care how fast their d-men were last year...their style of play has nothing to do with them getting it or not...whether you like it or not tv's are what will get a school into the nchc...and mankato aint one of them.

 
 

By that logic then UND shouldn't be in NCHC, it's located in a town of around 50,000 and can draw on some from the surrounding area, the majority of Hockey games are broadcast for the most part via a local cable company "Midco", some games are on FSN or FCS depending on the opponent. Mankato is a town of around 50,000 people and draws from the surrounding area, a good number of the games are available up in the twin cities. The games are broadcast mostly by a local cable company "Charter" communications and some games are on FSN or FCS depending on the opponent, Furthermore both schools offer games via online streaming via their respective leagues, which I think will eventually replace traditional broadcast for most of the college sports. They look pretty similar from broadcast perspective.

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42 minutes ago, ArchyAlum11 said:

By that logic then UND shouldn't be in NCHC, it's located in a town of around 50,000 and can draw on some from the surrounding area, the majority of Hockey games are broadcast for the most part via a local cable company "Midco", some games are on FSN or FCS depending on the opponent. Mankato is a town of around 50,000 people and draws from the surrounding area, a good number of the games are available up in the twin cities. The games are broadcast mostly by a local cable company "Charter" communications and some games are on FSN or FCS depending on the opponent, Furthermore both schools offer games via online streaming via their respective leagues, which I think will eventually replace traditional broadcast for most of the college sports. They look pretty similar from broadcast perspective.

to compare the ardent following of fighting sioux hockey to the purple cows is laughable...

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1 hour ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

to compare the ardent following of fighting sioux hockey to the purple cows is laughable...

No, you were talking about the size of broadcast markets. I was pointing out that both teams have a similar sized broadcast market.

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1 minute ago, ArchyAlum11 said:

No, you were talking about the size of broadcast markets. I was pointing out that both teams have a similar sized broadcast market.

no i said tv's turned to whatever channel the sioux are playing on...i said nothing about market size...when und is on tv alumni, fans, and casual fans turn it on and in much much larger numbers than the purple cow u fans.

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8 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

no i said tv's turned to whatever channel the sioux are playing on...i said nothing about market size...when und is on tv alumni, fans, and casual fans turn it on and in much much larger numbers than the purple cow u fans.

Then how did CC, Duluth, Omaha, SCSU, Miami and Western get in this TV-specific conference?

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6 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

What's so bad about Mankato? How are they so different from SCSU? It's not like Huntsville wants to join.

Agreed one of the best games I went to in college was a game against Mankato.  Anyone else remember this?

sthk1103-pb0098.jpg

That whole game was a battle.

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2 hours ago, southpaw said:

Then how did CC, Duluth, Omaha, SCSU, Miami and Western get in this TV-specific conference?

miami and western bc they are D1 FBS schools

duluth and omaha have large metro markets

cc-tradition and dever wanted them in

and scsu...no f'n clue

 

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I'm pretty torn. Seems clear that NCHC was born to preserve and advance the hockey tradition at UND (and elsewhere) and it has done a fantastic job. We have a good mix of area teams (UMD, SCSU, UND - WMICH, MIAMI - CC, DU) and at least partially centrally located (UNO). We have 8 schools committed to hockey excellence (many of them succeeding). We have d1 schools (wmich, Miami, du, UND), and we have smaller schools.

I'm torn between fun to-go-to games (NCC rivals, old WCHA) and national prominence (growing the sport, cementing UND on the map). I think we could take a lesson from the Little 6 and remember that hockey fans do not care about P5 opponents and like fun to-go-to games. The biggest difference between the Little 6 and the NCHC is that the NCHC prioritized hockey, while the 6 prioritized D1, 'respectable' opponents (I understand their hand was forced). Look where we are now.

It also feels too concentrated - the quality of play in the NCHC is remarkable. WMICH and MIAMI are punching bags right now and I don't know if they will always be content to value hockey highly and get the piss pounded out of them. We might have to dilute the strength a little. and If we do, I think we need to maintain what I mentioned above - balance. A school like ASU would demand a school like BGSU (would gain two d1 opponents, lots of exposure and national prominence, a local opponent for CC, DU, WMICH, MIAMI, but would offer little hockey prominence). Then again, adding MNSU in place of BGSU would give us hockey prominence (some) and another local opponent for UND fans (the apparent fulcrum) - but would damage relationship with eastern schools, and devalue the NCHC's values further (sizable endowments, merit of education).

Adding BGSU and MNSU, w/a proviso that ASU could come when it brings UNLV/UA w/it might be my favored outcome. 12 seems too many, but I don't see any way to make everyone happy - plus it would ease my concern of having 2 disgruntled east teams that, out of necessity, are the doormats for the best teams in the nation. If those 2 east teams were to leave, the NCHC would be mightily unstable in my mind.

On the other hand if we had a conference of UND, UMD, SCSU, UNO, DU and CC - w/4 conference games against each and 14 OOC - the 'NCHC' could probably still get 4-5 teams in the tournament every year and grow the sport, while taking on prominent OOC teams each year and free up WMICH and MIAMI to be powers in a different conference? Might be a little harebrained, but that's a whole different topic.

Preserving and advancing the NCHC should be our main goal - growing the sport and putting players through to the NHL a secondary goal. Extra drive games  (as UND fans) shouldn't be (already pretty spoiled w/SCSU, UMD, UNO). I think we need to do that by being nationwide and having regional opponents for each team who are committed to hockey. I'm either on a 12 team plan or a 6 team. Sorry if this is rambling and diluted - there are lots of moving parts.

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Current NCHC with 8 teams, great success!  Adding Mankato, Bowling Green, or ASU really does nothing to boost up the league, at least initially.  Yes, ASU is a big time school but their hockey right now is a joke.  And are they going to be dedicated to being successful or just want another sport to be D1?

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I dont think a school like Mankato would shell out $20k for an application fee if there wasn't already some backroom talks with NCHC leadership about their affiliation.  That being said the NCHC wouldn't go to an awkward 9 team schedule just to snag the likes of Mankato.  I think this signifies that the NCHC is about to go to 10 teams with Mankato and ASU joining the ranks.  This does seriously water down the league, but it's slim pickens when it comes to D1 college hockey teams.  I wouldn't mind if the NCHC just stayed at it's current 8, or found a way to at least trade WMICH for Mankato.  Just my opinion.

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Nothing wrong with Mankato joining the NCHC best I can tell, except that their departure will hurt the WCHA.    I could never figure out folks who cry about Saint Cloud being in the league.  They've a very nice arena, a reasoned array of Pizza Hut banners,  a fine coach, and a solid  D1 program.   And it is an easy road trip for legions of fans.    Mankato is not far off of these marks.

It's college hockey.  Look at the programs, not at the name of the university or the city in which it is located.  MSU-Mankato has a damned good coach and is in a great recruiting position.  It  has always been competitive with NDU.   It At least nearly so.   And another relatively easy road trip for many.  

Frankly,  these days,  they'll throw a more competitive game on the ice than will most, of not all, of the patsies in the Pig10.

My three cents.  Agreed.  Let's douse the arrogance.   After all, it's only hockey.

 

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11 hours ago, NorthDakotaHockey said:

Nothing wrong with Mankato joining the NCHC best I can tell, except that their departure will hurt the WCHA.    I could never figure out folks who cry about Saint Cloud being in the league.  They've a very nice arena, a reasoned array of Pizza Hut banners,  a fine coach, and a solid  D1 program.   And it is an easy road trip for legions of fans.    Mankato is not far off of these marks.

It's college hockey.  Look at the programs, not at the name of the university or the city in which it is located.  MSU-Mankato has a damned good coach and is in a great recruiting position.  It  has always been competitive with NDU.   It At least nearly so.   And another relatively easy road trip for many.  

Frankly,  these days,  they'll throw a more competitive game on the ice than will most, of not all, of the patsies in the Pig10.

My three cents.  Agreed.  Let's douse the arrogance.   After all, it's only hockey.

 

 

Come on now, how dare you chime in here with positivity. :) 

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14 hours ago, NorthDakotaHockey said:

Nothing wrong with Mankato joining the NCHC best I can tell, except that their departure will hurt the WCHA.    I could never figure out folks who cry about Saint Cloud being in the league.  They've a very nice arena, a reasoned array of Pizza Hut banners,  a fine coach, and a solid  D1 program.   And it is an easy road trip for legions of fans.    Mankato is not far off of these marks.

It's college hockey.  Look at the programs, not at the name of the university or the city in which it is located.  MSU-Mankato has a damned good coach and is in a great recruiting position.  It  has always been competitive with NDU.   It At least nearly so.   And another relatively easy road trip for many.  

Frankly,  these days,  they'll throw a more competitive game on the ice than will most, of not all, of the patsies in the Pig10.

My three cents.  Agreed.  Let's douse the arrogance.   After all, it's only hockey.

 

Amen NDH!

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